CVE-2005-3546 in Anti-Virus Internet Gatekeeper
Summary
by MITRE
suid.cgi scripts in F-Secure (1) Internet Gatekeeper for Linux before 2.15.484 and (2) Anti-Virus Linux Gateway before 2.16 are installed SUID with world-executable permissions, which allows local users to gain privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-3546 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw in F-Secure's security products for Linux systems. This issue affects both the Internet Gatekeeper for Linux and the Anti-Virus Linux Gateway versions prior to 2.15.484 and 2.16 respectively. The core problem lies in the improper configuration of suid.cgi scripts which are installed with world-executable permissions, creating a significant security weakness that can be exploited by local attackers to elevate their privileges.
The technical flaw stems from the improper handling of setuid (suid) permissions on CGI scripts within the F-Secure security software installation. When a script is marked with the setuid bit, it should execute with the permissions of the file owner rather than the user who invoked it. However, in this case, the suid.cgi scripts were configured with world-executable permissions, meaning any local user could execute these scripts with elevated privileges. This configuration violates fundamental security principles and creates an attack vector that allows unauthorized users to gain root-level access to the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables local privilege escalation attacks that can compromise the entire system. Attackers who gain access to a low-privileged user account can exploit this flaw to execute malicious code with root privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects systems where F-Secure's Internet Gatekeeper or Anti-Virus Linux Gateway is installed, making it particularly dangerous for organizations relying on these security solutions for their Linux infrastructure.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper permissions for a resource, and represents a classic case of insecure file permissions that can lead to privilege escalation. The issue also maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and specifically addresses how attackers can leverage misconfigured permissions to gain elevated system access. Organizations running affected F-Secure products should immediately address this vulnerability through proper permission configuration, ensuring that suid scripts are not world-executable and that appropriate access controls are implemented.
The recommended mitigation involves changing the file permissions of the affected suid.cgi scripts to remove world-executable permissions while maintaining the necessary setuid functionality. System administrators should verify that only authorized users or processes can execute these scripts and implement proper access controls. Additionally, organizations should update to F-Secure versions 2.15.484 and 2.16 respectively, which contain the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. Regular security audits of file permissions and access controls should be performed to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper privilege management in security software installations.